A Prisoner of Your Own Mind: Continuation
by Ahnnxah
Summary: My take on what happened after PearLynns story A Prisoner of Your Own Mind. In her story, Azula captured Zuko and Uncle after the battle in the Earth Nation town. This picks up where that one left off. Zuko x Katara, Sokka x Suki, (possible) Aang x Toph. Link to original included inside. Enjoy! Rating might change...depends on what happens.
1. Awakening

**A/N**

**This is a continuation of PearLynn's story, so thanks to her for allowing me to adopt her amazing work. And she has been reading over this and giving her stamp of approval, so I hope no one is disappointed by my work on this. And don't assume you know all of the plot either. I have a bit of a plot twist planned that might surprise you. This site won't let me leave it as an actual link so I'll do my best to make it easy. Just erase the spaces and extra lines.**

www .fanfiction.

net

/s/9362890/1/A-Prisoner-of-Your-Own-Mind

**Much to my dismay, I don't own any characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender! I wish I did, but I don't. Also, PearLynn has the rights to the original story/idea/whatever I should put here. The storyline from this chapter onwards is mine, with input and ideas from PearLynn. Butmostly it's mine and the people who created Avatar.**

**Feel free to R&R!**

Pain. That was all Zuko could feel. Azula's torture forcing him back to consciousness again. The burning of the fire searing his skin, the sharp pain of her nails digging into his body. He sat up gasping. He looked around, trying to understand where he was. How was he not in his cell? How was he not chained up?

As he glanced down, he saw the dark brown hair sprawled out, leading to a sleeping girl, tan arms folded under her head. Katara. She saved him. Her and that Toph chick. And…Uncle? The memory was blurred by weakness and cactus juice.

That explained why he wasn't in his cell anymore. They had come for him, taken him away. Rescued him. From his sister. And his father. His father knew about what his sister had done. Had seen him there. And hadn't done a single thing about it. Ordered that he be kept alive in fact. After so many years of doing everything he could to please his father, Zuko didn't know how to handle that. Really any of this. How was he to know who to trust anymore? He and Azula were never exactly close, but this was a new one. And his father just let it happen.

Uncle. He could trust Uncle. He could always trust Uncle. Katara. He could trust her. Maybe even Toph. Everybody else? Well…they were an unknown variable. Katara obviously has forgiven him for his past. She spent so much time and energy caring for him, the son of the very man she wanted to overthrow, the person who chased her and stole her necklace, Zuko doubted she would hurt him at this point. And as for Toph, she had the opportunity to hurt him while he was barely awake, but she didn't.

Zuko pushed himself up and forced himself to walk to the window. Three hours until sunrise. He suddenly felt the over whelming urge to feel the sun. As a firebender, the sun gave him strength and energy. He needed that. Needed the reassurance the sun would give him.

"Zuko?" He turned to see Katara looking at him with those blue eyes. He cracked a smile at her, then wobbled back over to the bed and sat down. He wanted her to trust him, to relax with him.

"Are you feeling better? Just missing the sun?"

He nodded. She somehow could guess what he was thinking, what he wanted to tell her. He wasn't sure if he liked that or not, but he wanted to get to know her in the same way.

"Oh, do you want some water?" He nodded and she handed him a cup and he gratefully drank some.

When he finished, she pulled out her bending water and made a water glove again. "May I?" she questioned, gesturing to his neck. He lifted his head to give her room to work. As her hand lightly touched his throat, he couldn't quite understand why he was so ok with it. Normally no one would get anywhere near his throat. She concentrated for a few minutes, then pulled her hand away, looking disappointed.

He tried to say thank you, but the words wouldn't form. Instead, Zuko took her hand and squeezed it, smiling crookedly when she looked at him. She smiled back and momentarily took his breath away. He had never seen her smile before, and enjoyed the sight.

"I should go so you can get back to sleep." She stood up, but Zuko grabbed her hand again. He didn't want her to go. He felt safe with her there. As much as he hated the thought (which was considerably less than he would have thought), he almost need her there. The very thought of her leaving him alone caused his heart to beat faster.

She looked at him, then sat back down. "Alright, I'll stay."

Before long, Katara was talking, telling Zuko about their lives and travels. Telling him about growing up in the Southern Water Tribe. About Kyoshi Island. About tricking Fire Nation soldiers into thinking she could earthbend. If Zuko had a question, Katara somehow seemed to know and was able to answer it. Neither of them even noticed the sun rising until the comforting warmth and light fell across Zuko's bed. When they finally noticed, Katara laughed and Zuko gave his crooked smile.

"We should go get you another bath. Then I can help you heal more." Zuko nodded and swung his legs over the bed. Knowing he wanted to do it himself, Katara stood to the side. After he straightened, he stretched, unintentionally showcasing what remained of his musculature, leaving it clear that before his imprisonment he was very well defined. Such an action, however, proved to be too much for the runaway prince, and he fell back onto the bed, accidentally grabbing Katara's shoulder and dragging her with him.

For a moment it was just the two of them, alone, frozen in time, and all he could feel was the warmth of her laying on top of him with her hands resting on his chest and her legs tangled in his, her breath mingling with his. It was the closest he had ever been to another person, and oddly enough he didn't mind the contact for once. It felt nice, her soft skin against his. Her hair fell around them in a curtain, blocking the rest of the world. He could smell her scent so clearly. It was like a river during a flood, where the earth is mixing with the water, and it swirls around you with increasing power.

She didn't seem mind to either, at least, he hoped she didn't. Her hand reached up to touch the left side of his face, the side baring his father's mark. Before she touched it, though she hesitated. "May I?"

After a second's indecision, he slowly nodded. She gently lowered her fingertips to lightly rest on the rough, seared flesh. As she traced the raised uneven mark, she whispered, "Maybe someday you will feel like you tell me about this. I'm not going to hurt you. I think you've suffered through enough at the hands of your sister for any kind of payback from us. I want us to be friends. I want you to know you can trust me."

Zuko's hand raised to brush her face in return, as he tried to tell her that he did trust her. After all this time, how could he not? She was the one who held him when he collapsed in that cell, even as gross as he had been. She sat with him every day watching him heal. Waiting for him to wake up. If she wanted to hurt him she would have by now. He would be foolish not to trust her.


	2. Angry Words and Thoughts of Exile

**A/N Sorry about the delay! I just haven't been writing as much, and I let myself get distracted by another work when I did. I will TRY not to let too much time go by before I update again. Please forgive me!**

**And I still don't own any of these amazing characters.**

"What in the spirit's names is going on in here?" Katara looked over to see Aang and Sokka standing in the doorway, flabbergasted by the sight in front of them. Katara immediately pushed herself into a standing position, while Zuko pressed himself back into the bed.

Sokka stepped forward. "What were you doing with my sister?" He angrily hurled the words at Zuko.

Zuko flinched back from the words, pushing himself slowly away from the angry boy. All he could think of was Azula attacking him, her anger and yelling echoed in the warrior's words. "Sokka, he was standing up and he fell. He tried to grab something to hold onto and grabbed me by accident. WE weren't doing anything. We fell."

Katara. She was here. She wouldn't let them hurt him like Azula did, would she? But it was two of them, and one of her. Plus, it was her bother. And the Avatar. She might.

"I asked him, Katara." Zuko flinched again, unnerved by the anger in Sokka's voice. It sounded too much like his sister's. Zuko forced himself to focus on Sokka again, to not hide in the corners of his mind again. The non-bender was in the way of the door, so Zuko's options were limited. He had reached the end of the bed, and was slowly putting his foot down on the floor.

"His vocal chords are still injured. He can't really answer your question, Sokka." Katara sounded worried. He should reassure her. However, she also sounded angry. What if she was angry at him?

"I think he's probably fine by this point." Sokka told her. Zuko just hoped she wasn't angry at him.

Katara got right up in Sokka's face about that one. Zuko could hear that Sokka pushed too far by the way she spat her words at him. "You might be a year older than me, Sokka, but I know what I'm doing. If I say he's hurt, then you can believe he's hurt. Do you understand me?" Zuko would bet that Katara's eyes are ice, and her voice was colder than her homeland. Sokka nodded, then quickly retreated, deciding to leave his sister alone for a while.

Katara glanced at Zuko to see his reaction, but he was busy watching the other people. "Zuko?" his eyes flickered over to her, but returned to the younger boy immediately. "Zuko, they aren't going to hurt you." He nodded slightly while Aang gave Katara a look.

"What's going on?" Aang just sounded bewildered.

"Aang, let's step into the hallway to talk." Zuko's eyes flashed back to the young woman, lasting just a second longer than the first time, then back to wearily watch the 12 year old boy in front of him.

Zuko could obviously tell that Aang didn't understand the look that Zuko sent Katara or realize that he had been slowly retreating ever since the presence of other people had been made known. Katara gave him a stern look and said "Don't even think of standing up without me here. I let you try on your own a second ago, next time you might actually undo some of the healing I've already done. Just to make sure I'm gonna stand in the doorway." Then she winked at him.

Aang turned and walked out followed by Katara, who somehow (much to Zuko's relief), managed to stand so that she could watch Zuko, but still somehow keeping Aang out of sight. Zuko relaxed a little and focused on her.

The way she stood perfectly still, but managed to somehow imply movement. The way her mouth moved when she asked Aang what he wanted. (To tell her breakfast was ready and check on Zuko. They needed to move out before Azula came after them.) The way she smiled as she thanked him, then told him her diagnosis. (After a healing bath, they would probably leave, physically at least, provided he rode on Appa. He shouldn't be walking any long distances yet. She would have to wait to make sure, though. Plus she was still unsure of any psychological effects all this has had on him, so she hoped to slowly introduce him to the group more slowly.) The way her eyebrows pulled together in displeasure at his response. (There wasn't really enough time for that. They had already been there a week, and the Western Air Temple wasn't exactly an unpredictable or secure hiding place.)

Those impossibly blue eyes glanced over at Zuko, then back down to focus on the bald young Avatar. He got a silent kick out of her borderline curt reply, then dismissal. (We'll see after a nice healing bath. I'll let you know. Now leave so I can help him maneuver to the bathroom.) It seemed like Aang was about to argue, but with a quick look from the young waterbender, he reconsidered that idea.

After watching him scurry off, Katara walked back over to Zuko. "Stand up. But no stretching this time. I don't want you to fall again." Her gentle smile let him know it was mostly a joke.

He carefully stood up, making sure he had his balance. Katara walked next to him on the way, there just in case he needed the support. When he stumbled, she caught him. Otherwise, she let him have his pride.

Once he was settled in his bath, he finally let Katara see the question hovering in his eyes. Why didn't she tell the Avatar that he didn't want her to leave him alone?

"I saw no point in saying it. Embarrassing you?" as she spoke, she began healing his arms, bringing back even more of his strength. "I've done that enough just in my attempts to help heal you and care for you. I saw no point in making you suffer more."

Zuko looked down, watching the way she healed him, her warm hands barely brushing against his skin through the cool water. A good metaphor for her, when he thought about it. Calm and composed, soothing and healing. But inside there was a burning core of warmth and strength, power and passion.

After she finished healing him, Katara formed an ice dagger to shave him again. As she lifted the blade to his neck, Aang banged on the door, asking the waterbender to come talk to him. She cursed softly to herself, earning a surprised look from her patient. "Will you be alright if I go?" He forced himself to nod convincingly. "Are you sure? I'll be right back. I suppose you can shave yourself?"

Zuko gave a slight nod, with a look clearly meant to remind her that he has done it himself for years.

She lightly chuckled, and he watched her lithely sway out of the room. He quickly removed the day old stubble, then made himself to relax into the warm water. Warm and relaxing, just like her. Gentle and flowing. But beware her wrath. Just like the ocean. Calm and cool and collected, with a whole world under the surface, and frightening when angry.

He really wasn't comfortable alone like this. It was better than anyone other than Katara being here, though. But what if someone came in? He couldn't exactly yell for help if Sokka decided to attack the Fire Nation Prince. And he couldn't exactly fight either.

Zuko stretched then lounged in the water, thinking of her, hoping she would return soon. It didn't take long. She came in with quick, fluid motions. Everything about the way she moved said she was angry. He looked at her with the question in his eyes, clear for her to see. With an agitated shake of her head, she helped him stand up, bended the water back into the tub, and handed him his pants.

He waited for her before heading back to his room, making sure to stay with her, hoping it wasn't something he had done that had her upset.

Once they got back to his room and Zuko was settled, Katara sat down and started explaining.

"They expect you to come out for dinner tonight. I argued, said that was a bad idea. You don't know Teo, the Duke, or Haru very well. I doubt they would take your presence lightly. I'm scared it will stress you out and make it harder for me to finish heal you, and maybe even undo a little of what's been done. But everyone else wants to leave now. Which, I completely understand, but I have to think of what's best for you. And, judging by how you reacted to my brother and Aang, I can't quite see it being dinner with people who don't trust you. But, what do I know right? I'm just the healer."

He took her hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry about tonight. I told Aang to take that idea and shove it where the sun don't shine for tonight. But tomorrow he's going to come back with reinforcements."

Zuko squeezed her hand again. She smiled at him. "I'm going to go get us some dinner, ok?"

He nodded and squeezed her hand again before letting go. She sashayed out of the room, leaving Zuko alone with his thoughts once more. Within seconds he could feel the panic start to set in. He forced himself to breathe in slowly, trying to keep a semblance of control. When that didn't work, he pushed himself up and into a firebending form. He started going through the motions, slowly and carefully, feeling the tug on his muscles as his mind slid into a more meditative state. He forced his body to get as close to perfect form as he could, which was rather depressing in a couple cases. He could feel where he wasn't smooth or quick or passionate or…anything else he was supposed to be. It felt like he was mocking the stance instead of holding it. He straightened, pushing himself to stand as straight as he used to. Straight like the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation should stand.

Then it hit him. He wasn't not anymore. They held him in the dungeon and tortured him. The Fire Lord himself knew and did nothing. Crown Prince? He was nothing now. Not even a banished prince. Then at least he had a chance to come back. Now? Would his father ever take him back? Hardly. So, he was exiled, never to return home. His father probably will say he was home because he was deathly ill, and dead now. He was nothing.

Zuko sat on the bed and thought about his new life. What will he do? If he stays with the Avatar, he will just slow them down. They need to go defeat his father. But Zuko can't help with that. What help could he be, the exiled failure? But where would he go? What would he do? He heard someone come in behind him, and he almost hoped they would kill him. Then he wouldn't have to decide.

"Zuko?" He turned to see Katara, standing there holding two bowls. "What's wrong?"

She walked over and handed him one and sat down next to him. He looked into her blue eyes, then just shook his head and looked down, then began to eat.

**Please, leave a review. I won't bargain updates for reviews, but they really do encourage me to write and keep going. **


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